The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has issued a rebuttal to recent media reports and interpretations suggesting that its studies or data indicate only 9% (approximately 8.7-9%) of the Aravalli hills rise above 100 meters in height, implying that 90% of the range would lose protection following the Supreme Court's judgment dated November 20. In a post on X, the FSI, responsible for assessment and monitoring of the forest resources of the country, clarified that it has not conducted or endorsed any specific study claiming that merely 9% of the Aravalli range qualifies as hills above 100 meters, nor has it concluded that 90% of the hills would be left unprotected as a result of the top court's recent order. The backstory The controversy stems from the Supreme Court's landmark judgment on November 20 in long-pending matters related to mining and environmental protection in the Aravalli Hills and Ranges. The court accepted a uniform definition recommended by a high-level com...
Bengali singer Lagnajita Chakraborty was allegedly harassed for performing the song "Jago Maa" during a concert on Saturday, sparking widespread criticism. A man has been arrested for allegedly targeting the popular singer for not singing a "secular" song and instead performing what he perceived as a "religious" number at a private school in East Midnapore's Bhagwanpur. So what is the song all about? According to the singer, she performed the track from the upcoming Bengali movie Devi Chowdhurani. The song's lyricist, Ritam Sen, clarified to NDTV that the song is based on "motherhood and not a Goddess." "What happened to Lagnajita during her show was completely unacceptable," Sen told NDTV. "One needs to understand that the lyrics of 'Jago Maa' are not about any deity. The song is themed around a mother and the concept of motherhood, representing feminine energy." He added that the song was created as a pr...